Sign Language in South Africa is making big strides and is set to fall part of our country’s official languages – making it the 12th.
The news comes after the President’s cabinet approved the Constitutional Eighteenth Amendment Bill (for public comment) spurred by the Department of Basic Education’s decision to include SASL as a second additional language for schools, as BusinessTech reports.
As part of Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga’s Budget Vote for the 2022/23 financial year, allusions to more language options in our country were outlined, with an emphasis on giving students an opportunity to combat comprehension hindrances with language opportunities.
Also read:Four new languages set to serve SA schools including sign language
According to EWN, Gauteng’s Provincial Director for Deaf SA, Liz-Ann Booysens expressed that what they want to see is Sign becoming more prevalent, and in return “accessible wherever deaf people move around.”
Adding Sign Language to SA’s range of official languages is a stride toward empowerment for the deaf community through creating awareness, empathy and normalising hearing impairments.
It’s a huge push in “recognising deaf culture as a fundamental part of South African culture” as the Western Cape government once expressed.
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